Officials yesterday admitted the arrivals are being given asylum without any proper medical checks on their age because they are considered “intrusive”.

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David Davies called for checks after seeing pictures of the arrival of 14 teenagers from Calais

Mr Davies, chairman of the Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, tweeted that the youngsters "don't look like children to me", adding: "I hope British hospitality is not being abused."

Speaking to BBC’s Today Programme, the MP for Monmouth said mandatory dental checks would reassure the public the system was not being exploited.

He told the show: “I think we’ve got a right to raise this question and the problem is if we don’t raise this question we allow ourselves to be carried along on a tide of emotion – Lily Allen-style with tears in our eyes. We’re not actually going to be able to help the people who need our help, we’ll just end up quickly exhausting the well of hospitality that exists in Britain.

"If they are jumping on lorries, they are not going to be adverse to lying about their ages."

Asked if the tests were inappropriate, inaccurate and unethical, he said: "They are not inappropriate if people are purporting to be older than they are.

He continued: “People in Britain want to help children but we don’t want to be taken for a free ride either by people who have somehow got to the front of the queue even though in some cases they clearly look a lot older.”

Talking to BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales, he added: “Looking at the photographs some of the people coming in appear to be much older than 18. There’s one there that’s got lines around his eyes and looks older than I am frankly.”

Mr Davies’ comments attracted a huge backlash on social media, with Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy posting: ”You make me ashamed to be in same Parliament @DavidTCDavies feeding this hatred and undermining child refugees.”

French authorities have said they will close the Jungle camp – situated near the port of Calais, and close to the 31-mile Channel Tunnel – by the end of the year.

UK law requires the government to arrange for the transfer to the UK and support of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe.